Heretofore, an internal combustion engine of a vehicle is provided with a generator that is driven by an output shaft of the internal combustion engine, and that supplies electric power to electric components of the vehicle, electric control components of the internal combustion engine, and the like. The generator also supplies electric power to a battery mounted on the vehicle to charge the battery.
For example, while the vehicle is running, if the generator generates electric power not only for supplying electric power to the electric components of the vehicle, the electric control components of the internal combustion engine, and the like, but also for charging the battery, the internal combustion engine is required to generate not only power for running the vehicle, but also power for driving the generator.
However, generating power not only for running the vehicle but also for driving the generator causes fuel efficiency of the internal combustion engine to be deteriorated.
Thus, in Patent Document 1, a generator is controlled so that a power generation amount of the generator during deceleration of the vehicle is more than that during steady-state running and acceleration of the vehicle, or deceleration regenerative control is performed. Thus the generator is driven by kinetic energy of the vehicle to reduce fuel consumption of the internal combustion engine during steady-state running and acceleration of the vehicle.